Instructor's Notes- Public Opinion & Political Socialization

Instructor Notes for Chapter 5 - Public Opinion and Political Socialization Politicians are always interested in public opinion and we constantly see polling results in all forms of media. This chapter gives a very brief overview of polling and survey methodology that is actually a very well developed science. I took an entire class on this subject alone and as a result, I am very careful about accepting poll results or statistics on face value. One needs to look carefully at what questions are asked and in what manner and order. Professionals can easily skew polling results and fish for the answers they want to achieve. I would even say that this may sometimes happen without intention. So, be aware of who is doing the poll and look carefully at the questions asked. It is always interesting to learn about political socialization and to ask ourselves where our own ideas and political leanings originated. We practice the fine art of civil discourse in our class and politely discuss the diverse views of students in our class. Some feel that this polite discussion is becoming a lost art even in the halls of Congress. Fareed Zakaria wrote this article Why political polarization has gone wild in America (and what to do about it)  (Links to an external site.)and I recommend that you read it if you have time. My parents always said to me that everyone in this country has a right to their own opinion and we must respect that right. I have always believed this. The last chart in this chapter is an interesting comparison of various countries and how the citizens feel about the USA. We Americans in the USA (Canadians and Mexicans also consider themselves to be Americans) have a very favorable view of our country. This poll was taken in 2009 so it is rather current. Even though we complain and worry, we still seem to feel we have a good country.